


Red Cloak, Wild World

by BardicRaven



Category: Little Red Riding Hood (Fairy Tale), Rotkäppchen | Little Red Riding Hood (Fairy Tale)
Genre: Enemies to Friends, Food brings people together, Gen, Getting to Know Each Other, Snacks & Snack Food, The Joye of Snacks, non-humans
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-25
Updated: 2018-12-25
Packaged: 2019-09-26 22:18:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,565
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17150102
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BardicRaven/pseuds/BardicRaven
Summary: Living in the future, in a big complex with tons of species doesn't stop fears from coming up and misunderstandings from happening.Sometimes, all is not what you'd expected. Or feared. And fortunately, sometimes you are able to get a second chance to make a first impression.Or, the time that Redand her Grandmother had the equivalent of tea with the Big, Bad Wolf and liked it.





	Red Cloak, Wild World

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kurage_hime](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kurage_hime/gifts).



Red got ready to go see her grandmother, who lived in a suite of rooms several corridors over in the big underroof complex and down a few units. Her reader, in case her grandmother fell asleep while she was there – a thing that happened more and more often now, some good snacks from her replicator (even tho’ her grandmother had the exact same unit, she claimed the food always tasted better when it was brought to her in stead of being pulled up from her own unit), and her yarn, because without it, Red found it exceedingly hard to be the good granddaughter she was supposed to be. Preparations complete, she threw on the red cloak that she wore because it reminded her of all the stories that she loved so much – about lives and livings that she could barely believe, they felt so far away from her, but loved imagining.

Running a little late, as she so often was, she dashed out of her living unit and ran smack dab into one of her fellow residents of the communal living area. He was large, hairy, with hands that looked nothing so much as sub-divided paws – big thick fingers with pads underneath and short, blunt claws at the tips. His long, dark fur was neatly braided up into what looked like hundreds of small beaded braids, leaving him with a bit of an air of a carnival barker, the sharp furry ears on the top of his head only adding to the look.

As she stared up into his face, her mind supplied the species – the one that her fellow humans had dubbed Big Bad Wolves, since their actual species name was completely (and honestly) unpronouncable by human throats. Or rather, the times that humans had tried speaking their language had led to the people being spoken to asking with hurried sincerity that while the respect of the attempt was noted, if they (the humans) would stop mangling the language by attempting to speak it, they (the BBWs in question) would be ever so much happier.

“Oh!” Red said, pausing to settle her cloak and her thoughts. “I’m sorry for running into you like that. I wasn’t looking where I was going.”

A sound that might have been a laugh came from the slightly open jaws, the tongue lolling just a bit. Red was suddenly reminded of pictures she’d seen from the Central Computer of an Earth dog, doing just that, after their human had done something amusing. She was hoping that this large being was taking it in a good spirit.

 _*Don’t worry, little human,*_ came into her mind. _*I don’t bite.*_ A moment, while they thought. _*Well, not unless asked, anyway.*_ The laughter again. _*So what has you in such a hurry that you are running into people much larger than you?*_

“I’m on my way to visit my grandmother in Corridor C and I’m late.” A quick look at her personal comp. “Really late. And she’s going to be ever so annoyed at me.”

_*What if I come with you and tell her that I’m the cause of your lateness?*_

“You would?” Red asked in surprise. “Really?”

_*Yes, I would. Really. I am here delaying you further, it seems only right that I should do something to help mitigate my interference.*_

Red looked up at the BBW’s face. They seemed sincere, or at least as far as she could tell. BBWs were still one of the species she was learning about – the fine nuances of inter-species behavior that could make all the difference when you were living in a space as small as this one was, for all its size.

“Yes, I’d like that. Let me duck back inside and add a few more snacks to my basket. I’ll be right back. You can wait on the visitor’s bench if you’d like.” She guestured to a small bench sitting underneath the window of her living quarters.

Red ducked back inside and went back to her replicator. Dialing up the list of foods that were palatable and safe for BBWs and humans alike, she picked a few that sounded like they might be good. Once they came up in the delivery-window, with the labelling that said what species they were suitable for, she quickly added them to her basket and went back outside.

“Okay, I’m ready,” Red said to the large being that was managing to fit on the visitor’s bench, but only just. “Let’s go.”

* * *

The walk over to her grandmother’s was quite pleasant, more than she’d expected, to be honest. She’d never really met a BBW before, only seeing the few that visited the complex from a distance. This was her first time meeting one up close and personal, and she tried her best not to let their sheer size and bulk disturb her.

They talked of this and that, both deliberately choosing topics of small import, until Red stopped in front of one of the doorways and said, “Here we are.” to her companion before knocking, and saying to the computer-butler face that appeared in the door “It’s Red, Bobo, with a guest. Here to see grandmother.”

The face paused for the slightest of seconds before responding. “Your grandmother says to tell you that you are late. Very late. She is disappointed. Again.”

“Yes, well, Bobo, we both know that’s just the way she is. And I’m getting even later standing at the entrance, so if you’d be so kind as to let us in?”

The face disappeared and Red heard the sound of the lock disengaging. “Come on in,” Red said as she led the way. “Grandmother shouldn’t mind having another guest. Especially when she sees some of the stuff I’ve brought her in my basket.”

* * *

Should is one thing, and her grandmother’s response quite another. When they came into the living room to find her grandmother sitting with her legs up on what looked to be a very comfortable couch, the first thing the old lady did was to pull her knees up to her chin and shriek. “What have you done, Red?!” she cried. “It’s going to eat us all!”

Red winced as she calmly put down her basket and took off her cloak, hanging it neatly on one of the wall-pegs for visitor’s wraps. She took a deep breath, let it out, took another. “Grandmother,” she said in what she hoped was an even tone of voice, hiding the deep frustration she felt underneath. “Don’t be insulting.”

“It could.” her grandmother said in a sulky voice.

“First,” Red said with exaggerated patience, “Our guest isn’t an ‘it’, he’s a ‘he’. Secondly, yes, he’s a BBW, but that doesn’t mean he’s going to devour us before snacktime.”

*Or after it, either. Why should one expend the effort when there is food that is more socially appropriate and tastier available?* His mindvoice, and the laughter it contained was heard by both of them.

Red turned to her grandmother. “See? Now can we sit down and share together like proper humans? That’s what you always tell me, isn’t it?”

Her grandmother blushed furiously, but put her feet back down, then sat up and put on her slippers, before standing up. “You’re right," she said to her grandaughter, before facing her guest. "I apologize. I should know better, but sometimes I don’t. Peace?”

*Peace.* A pause then, *And snacks?* he said eagerly.

Her grandmother laughed. “Yes, snacks.” As she rose to make her way to the table that Red was already spreading out with the food she’d brought. “You know, my boys – Red’s father and her uncles – they were always hungry too. Seems to be a trait shared by all males.”

*Certainly the ones I’ve known.* he agreed as he followed her to the table. A momentary confusion over seating was solved when Red brought over a giant footstool that was normally in the living room, and he settled himself down on it gratefully, his busy tail hanging out of the edge, trailling gracefully down to the floor.

And so the afternoon passed, with much food and stories shared. Another connection, anoither set of commonalities in a place where so much was different.

As Red and their new friend rose to leave, he asked, *I have enjoyed my time with you a great deal. Would it be acceptable to come again?* 

Her grandmother hesitated a moment, and Red began to worry what she’d say next. “Well, Red, it’s really up to you. I’ve enjoyed you and your friend’s visit, but it’s our time together. Would you mind sharing it?”

Red answered with no hesitation. “No, I wouldn’t mind at all. I think today was great.”

“Then, yes, please. It would be most acceptable for you to come again.” She held out her hand and the BBW took it carefully, dwarfing the human hand with his own.

“Call me Wolf.” At the astonished looks from both humans, he continued. *I know what humans think of me. When I researched what those animals were really like, I found a great affinity with them. So when I took a human name, that was the one I chose.*

“Alright then, Wolf. I’ll look forward to the next time you come.”

And with that, Red and Wolf left her grandmother’s living quarters, both richer for the experience, already planning what their next time would be.


End file.
